Adhesive-coated dowel

An adhesive coated dowel, comprising:

• a dowel substrate having an outer surface and a first end opposite a second end, wherein the dowel substrate has a length of about 0.5 inches to about 3 inches, wherein the dowel substrate is fabricated from wood, and wherein the dowel substrate has circumferentially-spaced, longitudinally extending flutes disposed therein and between the first end and the second end;
• and
• a B-staged phenol-formaldehyde-based resin coated on the outer surface of the dowel substrate, wherein:
• the B-staged formaldehyde-based resin is dried and at least partially cured,
• the B-staged phenol-formaldehyde resin was prepared with a formaldehyde to phenol (F:P) molar ratio of about 1.8 to about 2.4,
• the B-staged formaldehyde-based resin was produced from a formaldehyde-based resin heated at a temperature of greater than 110° C. and to about 177° C.,
• the B-staged phenol-formaldehyde resin was prepared with about 0.1 mol to about 0.7 mol of an alkaline catalyst per mol of phenol,
• the B-staged formaldehyde-based resin is a thermosetting resin, and
• the alkaline catalyst comprised an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, a tertiary amine, or any mixture thereof.